Could We Start Again, Please?
by Purple Astro
Summary: Just a little might-have-been. Songfic.


I'm not sure what inspired this. The song is from Jesus Christ Superstar. This comes somewhere after 'Date with Danger' but before Karone gets brainwashed.

Start Again Please

"Astronema." 

Astronema lifted her head to look at Ecliptor. "Your current monster seems to be doing well against the Rangers."

"Really?" she asked, faintly interested despite herself.

"Indeed, my Queen." Rising to her feet, Astronema moved into the main control centre to see the screen.

I've been living to see you

Dying to see you,

but it shouldn't be like this.

This was unexpected.

What do we do now?

Could we start again, please?

Indeed, the currant monster—Astronema tried to remember his name and was only faintly upset when she couldn't—was throwing the Rangers around Angel Grove mall. For whatever reason, Zhane and Andros were bearing the brunt of it; both were moving more slowly than the others, who were doing their best to protect them. Ecliptor said something behind her, and the monster began focusing on the Kerovan Rangers. A moment later a group of Quantrons joined them, harassing all the Rangers and keeping them away from the fight.

I've been very hopeful, so far,

Now, for the first time,

I think we're going wrong.

Hurry up and tell me,

This is just a dream

Or could we start again, please?

And just like that it was all over. A lucky blast caught Zhane in the shoulder; two Quantrons disengaged from the fight and caught him, vanishing immediately. Andros, briefly incapacitated, was immediately surrounded by the other Rangers, and Astronema turned.

"Call him back." There was no particular emotion in her voice, but Ecliptor hurried to obey anyway. Astronema strode off the bridge towards the detention centre.

I think you've made your point, now.

You've even gone a bit too far,

To get the message home.

Before it gets too frightening,

We ought to call a halt.

So could we start again, please?

Zhane was demorphed and slumped against the far wall; he knew she was there, but he didn't seem particularly worried.

"Zhane." she murmured. He rolled his head around to see her.

"You ruined my favourite shirt, you know." It took her a moment to place the reference.

"You stood me up. Are you hurt?"

"No, your monster shot me for the fun of it." Astronema bit her lip.

"Will you let me help you?" He considered it for a long moment.

"Yes." She deactivated the forcefield and stepped inside, kneeling next to him. "What will Ecliptor say?"

"I don't care. I'm the princess here, not him." Zhane chuckled.

"That's…a really disturbing image, you know."

"Sure it is." she answered absently. "Zhane, this looks really messy."

"You finally…made a good monster. Well…done."

"You weren't supposed to be there." she muttered, stepping out briefly for a jacket someone had left behind. It had four arms, which she promptly ripped off. "You were supposed to be with your rebel friends."

"I come back, sometimes. You knew?"

"Yes." When he didn't say anything, she added, "but only I knew. Dark Spectre doesn't, or not from me, anyway." He was silent for a long time, and just when she was about to say something else he murmured, "Thanks."

Unsure, she rose to her feet and left.

I've been living to see you

Dying to see you,

but it shouldn't be like this.

This was unexpected.

What do we do now?

Could we start again, please?

By the next day Zhane was unconscious, with a fever. Astronema had her servants watch him, explaining it with "Dead Power Rangers are no good to us." Secretly, she worried; Zhane had gotten too sick, too fast.

I think you've made your point, now.

You've even gone a bit too far,

To get the message home.

Before it gets too frightening,

We ought to call a halt.

So could we start again, please?

Two days later the Rangers—slightly diminished, but still Rangers—assembled in the park after Astronema's appearance. She was almost alone, standing uncertainly beside a picnic table. Zhane was propped up on the bench.

Andros held the others back, only allowing Ashley to approach with him. Astronema watched impassively as they stopped a few meters from her.

"What's wrong with Zhane?" Andros asked. Astronema shrugged.

"I'm not a doctor, Red Ranger. Take your stupid team mate and go." And with that she took several steps back, giving them clear passage to Zhane. The two Rangers instantly moved forward; Andros laid his hand on Zhane's shoulder, satisfying himself that it really was him, and Ashley moved in between the two Rangers and Astronema.

"Thank you." 

"Phhff. He's no good to me dead." Ashley didn't miss the way Astronema's eyes were locked on Zhane as Andros teleported him away.

"Thank you anyway." The Rangers vanished, leaving Astronema to go back to the Fortress.

Could we start again, please?

Several days later, fully healed under Alpha's care, Zhane escaped Andros and went back to the campsite. He wasn't sure what he was hoping for, but it wasn't what he got; Astronema was sitting on one side of the fire.

Without saying anything, Zhane say on the other side. Neither moved for a long time, until Zhane said softly, "Thank you."

"A life for a life. I don't owe you anything." Astronema answered.

"You never owed me anything. I saved you because I wanted to, not because I wanted something back."

"You and your stupid Ranger morals."

"They're not Ranger morals. They're not stupid, either."

"Not to you, maybe." She stood, hesitated, and hunkered back down. "Zhane, go back to the rebels. Something big is coming, and you shouldn't…"

"I'm a Power Ranger." he cut her off. "I can't abandon my friends." Nodding, she rose once more and vanished. Left alone, Zhane watched the fire for a long time.

Could we start again, please?

And on the Dark Fortress, Dark Spectre laid the plans for diverting a certain meteor…

Could we start again, please?


End file.
